Archive | December 2012

All the horses and ponies are well this week. We’d like to give another huge thank you to those who have so generously given donations over the Christmas period, either by donating hay, feed, money or carrots. It is so heart-warming to know of all the kindness that is out there, and that we are in the thoughts of so many kind people over the Christmas period, please know that every donation is really appreciated. Also a special thank you to all the volunteers for giving their time over Christmas – including Christmas day for their help with looking after the horses and ponies.

On 1st January all the horses and ponies will be moved to their Winter quarters on the yard. This enables the fields to have a rest for 3 months, so that they’ll be ready for the Spring time. This is particularly important, especially with all the wet weather we have been having all over the country, as some of our fields have suffered with flooding.

Sparky

Unfortunately, volunteer Wendy was unable to take the New and Nearly New Equine staff to the Blaby Recreational Riding Associations Christmas show at Blaby Mill Equestrian on Sunday 23rd December, due to the show being cancelled because of bad weather. However, we are pleased to announce that an amazing £3753.00 has been raised this year. Wendy would like to say a personal thank-you to everyone who has supported the Pablo’s New and Nearly New Equine stall this year. We would love to see you all again in 2013, and if anyone has a new venue for the stall or would like a yard visit please contact Wendy on 07831 453504 (please note no message service) or email: whcarter@onetel.com or if you would like to make stock donations, please get in touch.

We still need 5.9, 6.6, 6.9, 7ft turnout rugs for all the big horses that we have. So if anyone can help please contact Carole or Wendy.

From everyone from Pablo’s Horse Sanctuary would like to wish you a happy New Year and all the best for 2013.

I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank everyone who has given support to the horses and ponies at the Sanctuary over the past year. Many of you have kindly given donations of money, food, rugs and equine equipment, give a regular gift on the Standing Order Scheme, sponsored a horse or pony, purchased merchandise, fostered one of our horses or ponies, held their own fundraising event, or joined in one of our fundraising events or just came along to support our Open Day in August. However you have supported us, no matter how small or large, everything is so gratefully received and means so much.

Also I would like to give a huge thank you to all of the volunteers who have helped look after the horses and ponies at Pablo’s Horse Sanctuary. You are such an amazing bunch of people who generously give your time and energy, whether you are looking after the animals, fundraising, administration or carrying out yard maintenance, the Sanctuary would not be able to run without you.

2012 has been a hard year, but with all your help, this year we have been able to take in additional horses and ponies that were in need of Sanctuary, whilst still looking after those who need long-term care.

Your help this year is so deeply appreciated. I sincerely thank you from the heart and with your continued support you will help to ensure the Sanctuary keeps on running.

I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year for 2013.

All the horses and ponies are well this week, and the new arrivals have settled. It’s been a bit of a week weather-wise with rain, freezing temperatures and warm sunshine! As you can see Lilly (isn’t she growing!) and Arian are enjoying the warm rays of sunshine during the day, before going back into their stable in the barn over the night time.

On Saturday volunteers John, Jen and Mandy held a stall at the Melton Mowbray market and sold delicious home-made biscuits, mince pies and mincemeat slices, amongst other items which raised a fantastic £300. Also, Mandy helped raise a further £90 with her friends Christmas Cake Raffle over the last few weeks. Thank you to everyone for their support.

New and Nearly New Equine Staff

Also on Saturday, volunteer Wendy visited Long Lane Equestrian in Kegworth and held a Pablo’s Awareness Day with lots of information. A big thank you to Sally Warwick for letting us visit her yard. On Sunday, Wendy took the New and Nearly New Equine Stall to the Canaan Farm Christmas show which raised a marvellous £85. A huge thank you to Hayley and Karen Sankey and their customers for their continued support. Also, Hayley & Karen generously donated all the profits from the food buffet taken on the day to Pablo’s which was then exchanged for hay. You’re all stars. Next week the New and Nearly New equine stall has another new venue! Look out for Wendy at the Blaby Recreational Riding Associations Christmas show at Blaby Mill Equestrian on Sunday 23rd December, weather permitting.

Lilly

A few more big thank yous this week to Long Clawson shop which raised £30 and to Long Clawson Deli which raised £33 in their retrospective collection tins, to Denise and John (who fostered Tika) for their kind donation of 10 bags of feed, to the 2nd Bottlesford Brownies for donating £11.97 from their penny jar, to Ken and Ann for their donation of £72 from car booting, and to Elaine and Fiona for their kind donation of equine items.

As regular readers know, the charity is run completely by volunteers, and over this year we have lost a few volunteers due to a change in their personal circumstances. We would like to appeal for more volunteers, especially over Christmas period (even just 1 hour of time) to help at the yard. It’s a great way to exercise, meet some of the horses and ponies and maybe lose that weight gained over the festive period! We are also looking for an experienced horse-whisperer who could possibly spend some time with some of the youngsters at the Sanctuary to help bring them on so that they can find a good foster home.

Unfortunately, over the past week Carole lost her mobile phone. The good news is that the Sanctuary’s mobile phone number is now on her new phone, but as her previous phone has been cancelled, this has meant that all contact numbers have been lost. If you are waiting for Carole to call you, your number may have been lost – please text Carole your number and she will get back to you.

A hugh thank you to everyone who has sent Christmas Cards and well-wishes, and Christmas donations.

All the horses and ponies are well this week, and now the fields have dried out all the horses and ponies are able to go back on to their fields, or if they choose to, stay on the yard. This week, 3 new ponies (a family group) were given sanctuary as an emergency case as their young owner was no longer able to care for them properly due to a change in her circumstances. Kini, a 8 year old Welsh section mare who is heavily pregnant and who brought along with her, her 8-month old foal, Milly. The 3rd pony is “dad” called Henry who is a beautiful 4-year old Exmoor-cross stallion. All are being kept stabled together and have settled in very well and are enjoying all the attention. So Pablos will be expecting it’s second foal very soon and it is planned to have Henry gelded as soon as possible. We will keep you informed of their progress. (photos to be available on Monday night)

Kini

We would like to give a HUGE THANK YOU to Mars UK (Mars in the Community) for their very generous gift of providing the Yard Insurance for the third year running. This insurance enables local charity groups to visit the horses and ponies on the yard at Long Clawson, which in turns give great therapeutic benefit to these groups.

Milly

It’s that time of year again when those on the Standing Order Scheme or who sponsor a horse or pony should start to look out for their postman to receive their new Winter Newsletter. If you are in need of a special Christmas present for a loved one, why not consider Sponsoring a horse or pony, it makes a great gift.

Dates for your diary for the New and Nearly New Equine Stall are Saturday 15th December at a new venue – Long Lane Equestrian Centre, in Kegworth, from 9.30am, at the kind invitation from Sally Warwick. Then on Sunday 16th December the Equine stall will be at Canaan Farm Equestrian Centre’s Christmas show, at Costock.

A big thank you this week to Lilly Walker from Long Clawson, who over the past year has saved all her spare change for Pablos. Lilly and her sister Connie bought some feed and carrots with the money saved. Also to Beverely and Sharon at Melbourne Park Medical Centre for their kind donations of carrots; to Swithland Water for their kind donation of £50; to Stu and the team at Capital One Bank for a cheque of £250 for matching Martin Hall’s Dog Walk Sponsorship money and to everyone who has sent Christmas Cards and well-wishes, and Christmas donations.

If you are in Melton Mowbray next Saturday, do pop over and see volunteer John who will be holding Pablo’s market stall. On the stall will be some of the auction items for sale, also Pablo’s Christmas Cards and t-shirts will be available. So come on over and see if you can grab a bargain before Christmas.

All the horses and ponies are well this week and have all now got their rugs on to keep them warm over the coming Winters months. Over the past few weeks when the weather has been constant rain and there has been many floods all over the country, this has also unfortunately affected many of the fields at the main yard which have been too wet for horses and ponies to stay on, so they have had to come onto the yard until the fields dry out for them to go back on to (hopefully soon).

Lou Lou

Our volunteer Emma who has fostered 2 of the Dartmoor ponies, Dizzy and Dodger as well as Lou Lou has sent over some photos of them in their new home. As you can see they have settled in very well and are now firm friends with each other. The other 2 Dartmoor ponies, Darcy and Dreamer who have been fostered by Karen in Newark, and Karen has been in touch to report that they are both fine and coming along very nicely.

Irene, Gayle and Rachel on the stall at the Victorian Fair

On a chilly Sunday 2nd December, a successful fundraising stall at the Victorian Fair was held which raised a fantastic £500. A Christmas Present Tombola was on offer with quality prizes to be won. This year all the prizes were all wrapped up in Christmas paper, which made them such great Christmas gifts. A children’s lucky dip and a treasure hunt to win a DAB radio was also on offer. The stall was run in the morning by volunteers Gayle, Irene and Rachel, and the afternoon shift by volunteers John, Jenny, Kirsty and also Carole. A huge thank you to everyone for supporting the stall and raising these much needed funds.

Carole, John, Jenny and Kirsty on the stall at the Victorian Fair

Also on Sunday, Wendy took the New and Nearly new equine stall to Rearsby Lodge Riding Club at Brooksby College which raised an amazing £100. A big thank you to the Rearsby Lodge Committee and all the members for their continued support.

Pablo’s Christmas Tree

The Pablo’s Christmas Tree has been on display at the St Mary’s Christmas tree festival over the past week and as you can see looks absolutely fantastic . Thank you to volunteers Jenny and Isobelle for decorating the tree, and to Jenny’s husband, Bob, for kindly purchasing the tree.

Thank you this week to John from Langar for his generous donation, and also to all those people who have kindly sent Christmas cards with well-wishes and have included donations as well. Also to the “Make It Happen” Christmas project sponsored by Ragdale Hall and Melton Times for their generous gift of £300 which will be spent on strengthening the temporary stables in the barn.

We’d also like to send our “get well wishes” to our regular volunteer “Alex” due to his sudden illness this week. We wish you a speedy recovery.